Technology Briefing | Hardware: Apple Cuts Price Of Ibook Laptops

Published: November 7, 2002

Apple Computer yesterday lowered the price of iBook laptop computers by as much as 17 percent and added faster processors to the machines, ahead of what may be the worst holiday shopping season in a decade. The personal-computer maker knocked $200 off the price of three iBook models, which now range from $999 to $1,599, and added PowerPC G3 chips that run at speeds of up to 800 megahertz. It also upgraded its Titanium PowerBook G4 computers, which play and copy compact discs and DVD's, Apple said. Last month, Apple forecast a slight sales increase for the holiday season, seeing no sign that an industrywide slump in PC sales would soon be reversed. Shipments of Macintosh computers fell 14 percent in the quarter ended in September, leaving Apple with only its second quarterly loss since the chief executive, Steve Jobs, regained control of the company more than five years ago. Apple shares rose 32 cents, to $17.22.